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英文原文
At this chapter begins an account of the orders and instructions God gave to Moses upon the mount for the erecting and furnishing of a tabernacle to the honour of God. We have here. I. Orders given for a collection to be made among the people for this purpose, Ex 25:1-9. II. Particular instructions, 1. Concerning the ark of the covenant, Ex 25:10-22. 2. The table of showbread, Ex 25:23-30. 3. The golden candlestick, Ex 25:31-40, etc.
1-40
The Tabernacle and Its Furniture (1491 BC)
會幕與其中的器具（主前1491年）
¹ 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
² 「你告訴以色列人當為我送禮物來；凡甘心樂意的，你們就可以收下歸我。
³ 所收的禮物就是：金、銀、銅，
⁴ 藍色、紫色、朱紅色線，細麻，山羊毛，
⁵ 染紅的公羊皮，海狗皮，皂莢木，
⁶ 點燈的油，並做膏油和香的香料，
⁷ 紅瑪瑙與別樣的寶石，可以鑲嵌在以弗得和胸牌上。
⁸ 又當為我造一座聖所，使我可以住在他們中間。
⁹ 製造帳幕和其中的一切器具，都要照我所指示你的樣式。
我們可以設想，當摩西進入雲中、在那裏停留如此之久，有聖天使伺候那舍吉拿，即神的威嚴，他所看見所聽見的，都是關乎上界的極其榮耀的事；然而那些事既不合法也不可能述說出來；所以在他對那裏之事的記錄中，他毫不滿足那些要窺探所未見之事者的好奇心，只記錄他要對以色列人所說的話。因為聖經的設計是引導我們盡本分，不是用猜測充滿我們的頭腦，也不是取悅我們的幻想。
在這些經文中，神將他的總意告訴摩西，就是以色列人要為他建造一座聖所，因為他定意住在他們中間（出二十五8）；有人認為，雖然此前已有用於宗教敬拜的壇和樹叢，但在摩西建立這會幕之前，任何國家從未為神聖用途建造過殿宇或聖殿，而外邦中後來如此聞名的所有廟宇，都是從此起源並以此為藍本的。神揀選以色列人作他自己獨特的子民（超乎萬民），在他們中間要存放並建立神的啟示，以及與之相符的宗教：他自己要作他們的王。作為他們的王，他已賜下治理他們自己以及他們彼此交往的律法，也按着理性和自然之律的光，在十誡及隨後的詮釋中賜下了宗教敬拜的一般規則。但這尚不足以將他們與其他國家分別出來，也不足以滿足神要與他們立約作他們的神的全部內容；因此：
I. 他吩咐在他們中間為自己建立一座王宮，此處稱為聖所，或聖潔之處，或居所；論到它有話說（耶十七12）：*我們聖所的榮耀之處，從起初就是高處的寶座。*這聖所當從兩方面考慮：
1. 作為禮儀性的，與那時代的其他制度相符，那些制度在於肉體的條例（來九10）；因此被稱為屬世界的聖幕（來九1）。神在其中設立他的朝廷，如同以色列的王。（一）他在那裏彰顯他同在的記號，作為他同在的表記，使他們既有那在他們中間，便永不至再問：*耶和華是在我們中間不是？*又因為他們在曠野住在帳棚裏，連這王宮也被指定為會幕，好與他們同行；這是神恩典俯就的一個例證。（二）他在那裏命令他的子民帶着敬意和貢物來侍候他。他們要到那裏求問他的神諭，到那裏獻上祭物，全以色列都要在那裏聚集，向以色列的神致以共同的敬意。
2. 作為預表性的；人手所造的聖所是真聖所的影像（來九24）。福音的教會是那主所支搭，不是人所支搭的真帳幕（來八2）。基督的身體，是他藉以贖罪的，是那更大更全備的帳幕（來九11）。道成了肉身，住在我們中間，如同在帳幕中。
II. 當摩西要建造這宮時，他必須先受指示當從何處得材料、從何處得樣式；因為他既不能靠自己的巧思設計，也不能自費建造；所以他在兩方面都受指引。
1. 百姓要為他提供材料，不是藉徵稅，而是藉甘心奉獻。這是此處首先吩咐的事。
（1）你告訴以色列人當為我送禮物來；他們理當如此，因為（出二十五1）：〔一〕是神自己不但釋放了他們，更以埃及的財物使他們富足。他吩咐他們借用，又使埃及人情願借給，所以他們的財富是從他而來；因此將之奉獻給他、為他使用，為所得的恩惠作感恩的承認，是合宜的。當注意：第一，我們對屬世財富的最佳使用，是在敬虔和慈善的事上以此榮耀神。第二，當我們在事業上蒙了特別的成功、如我們所說交了好運時，理當為神的榮耀行一些超乎平常的事，將所得按某種合理的比例分別為聖歸給全地之主（彌四3）。〔二〕所要建造的聖所是為他們的益處和舒適而設，所以他們當負擔費用。他們若吝惜費用，便不配得這特權。他們既然免費居住，自己和全家每日有糧食從天降下，自當樂意為神的榮耀豐盛奉獻。我們也當承認我們一切所有都來自神的豐盛，所以當為他的榮耀使用一切。我們既賴他而活，就當為他而活。
（2）這奉獻必須甘心，從心而獻，就是說：〔一〕沒有規定他們當獻甚麼或多少，而是留給他們的慷慨，使他們可以向神的殿和其中的事奉表示善意，並以聖潔的競爭而行，少數人的熱心激動許多人（林後九2）。我們當問的，不只是「我們必須作甚麼」，而是「我們可以為神作甚麼？」〔二〕無論獻甚麼，都當樂意而獻，不可勉強勉強，因為神喜愛樂意施捨的人（林後九7）。花在事奉神之上的，我們當算為花得值得。
（3）此處列明他們當獻的物品（出二十五3-7），都是在會幕或其事奉中所需要的。有人觀察到，此處有金、銀、銅，卻沒有鐵；鐵是軍事的金屬，而這要成為和平之家。所預備的每一件都是極其貴重精美的，是同類中最好的；因為神既是最好的，就當得着最好的。
2. 神自己要為他提供樣式：都要照我所指示你的樣式（出二十五9）。神向他展示了一個精密的小型設計圖，他必須在每一點上與之相符。這樣以西結在異象中看見殿的規模和樣式（結四十三11）。當注意：凡在神事奉上所作的，都必須照他的指示而行，不可另作主張。然而神不但向他展示樣式，更賜他具體的指示，說明如何按那樣式建造會幕的每一部分，這是他在此章及以下各章中所逐一論述的。當摩西在創世記開頭要描述世界的創造時，雖然那是如此莊嚴精巧的結構、由如此繁多而龐大的細節所組成，他卻只作了極簡短的概括描述，與這世界的智慧從一位藉神啟示寫作之人所期望和要求的相去甚遠；但當他描述會幕時，卻以想像中最大的精密和準確來描述。那位從未告訴我們地球的圓周和直徑、星辰的高度和大小之神，卻告訴我們會幕每一塊板、每一幅幔子的尺寸；因為神的教會和所設立的宗教在他眼中比世上其餘一切都更寶貴、更要緊。聖經的寫作，不是為向我們描述自然之作為──這些的一般概覽已足以引導我們認識並事奉創造主──而是為使我們認識恩典的方法，以及那些純粹屬神啟示的事。未來世代的福樂，在新耶路撒冷的觀念下比在新天新地的觀念下表達得更為完全。
¹⁰ 「要用皂莢木做一櫃，長二肘半，寬一肘半，高一肘半。
¹¹ 要裏外包上精金，四圍鑲上金牙邊。
¹² 也要鑄四個金環，安在櫃的四腳上；這邊兩環，那邊兩環。
¹³ 要用皂莢木做兩根槓，用金包裹。
¹⁴ 要把槓穿在櫃旁的環內，以便抬櫃。
¹⁵ 這槓要常在櫃的環內，不可抽出來。
¹⁶ 必將我所要賜給你的法版放在櫃裏。
¹⁷ 要用精金做施恩座，長二肘半，寬一肘半。
¹⁸ 要用金子錘出兩個基路伯來，安在施恩座的兩頭。
¹⁹ 這頭做一個基路伯，那頭做一個基路伯，二基路伯要接連一塊，在施恩座的兩頭。
²⁰ 二基路伯要高張翅膀，遮掩施恩座。基路伯要臉對臉，朝着施恩座。
²¹ 要將施恩座安在櫃的上邊，又將我所要賜給你的法版放在櫃裏。
²² 我要在那裏與你相會，又要從法櫃施恩座上二基路伯中間，和你說我所要吩咐你傳給以色列人的一切事。」
此處首先吩咐要造的是約櫃及其附屬物，就是至聖所的器具，也是神同在的特別記號，會幕正是為容納它而建立的。
I. 約櫃本身是一個箱子或櫃子，要將那用神手指所寫的兩塊法版莊嚴地存放其中，並小心保存。它的尺寸被精確地指定；猶太人的肘若如某些學者所計算比我們的半碼長三吋（共二十一吋），這個箱櫃約長五十二吋、寬三十一吋、高三十一吋。它內外都包上薄金片，四圍有金的冠飾或飛簷，有環和槓以便抬運；他必須將法版放在其中（出二十五10-16）。律法的版被稱為法版，因為神在其中見證他的旨意：他賜他們律法是他恩待他們的記號；他們接受律法是他們臣服順從的記號。這律法對他們是見證，引導他們盡本分；若他們違背，便成為對他們的見證。約櫃被稱為法櫃（出三十6），會幕被稱為法幕（民十11）或見證（徒七44）。基督的福音也被稱為見證（太二十四14）。當注意：（1）律法的版被小心保存在約櫃中，為要教導我們看重神的話，將它藏在我們心裏、在我們最深的思想中，正如約櫃被安放在至聖所中。這也暗示神護理一直以來、且將永遠保護教會中神啟示的記錄，使甚至在末後的日子他的殿中也必看見他的約櫃（啟十一19）。（2）這約櫃是神同在的首要記號，教導我們神恩惠的頭一個大憑據和保證，就是將他的律法放在人心裏。神住在律法掌權之處（來八10）。（3）為抬這約櫃在他們一切遷移中作了安排，暗示我們無論往何處去，都當帶着我們的宗教同行，常將對主耶穌的愛和他的律法帶在身邊。
II. 施恩座是約櫃的蓋，用純金製成，與約櫃的尺寸完全相合（出二十五17、21）。這挽回之蓋（如此翻譯亦無不可）是基督的預表，他是那偉大的挽回祭，他的滿足完全滿足了律法的要求，遮蓋了我們的過犯，並在我們當受的咒詛與我們之間作了中保。這樣他是律法的總結，使凡信他的都得着義。
III. 金子做的基路伯固定在施恩座上，與它成為一體，並在上面展開翅膀（出二十五18）。據推測這些基路伯是為代表聖天使而設計的，他們常伺候那舍吉拿，即神的威嚴，特別在頒布律法之時；不是藉天使的形像，而是藉天使本性的一些象徵，可能是以西結書一章十節所說的那四個臉面之一。無論那些臉面如何，它們彼此相對，並都向下朝着約櫃，同時翅膀展開到彼此相觸。使徒稱之為遮掩施恩座的榮耀基路伯（來九5）。這表示他們對救贖主的伺候，他們是服役的靈；他們樂意遵行他的旨意；他們在聖徒聚會中的特別同在（詩六十八17，林前十一10）；以及他們切望察看福音的奧秘並勤勉思索的願望（彼前一12）。神被說為住在、坐在基路伯之間、在施恩座上（詩八十1），他在此應許今後要在那裏與摩西相會，與他說話（出二十五22）。在那裏他要頒布律法，在那裏他要垂聽，如同寶座上的君王；這樣他表明自己樂意與我們和好，並藉着基督的中保與我們保持相交。暗指這施恩座，我們被說為坦然來到施恩的寶座前（來四16）；因為我們不在律法之下──律法被遮蓋了──乃在恩典之下──恩典被彰顯了；它的翅膀展開，我們受邀請來到它翅膀的蔭下（得二12）。
²³ 「要用皂莢木做一張桌子，長二肘，寬一肘，高一肘半。
²⁴ 要包上精金，四圍鑲上金牙邊。
²⁵ 桌子的四圍各做一掌寬的橫樑，橫樑四圍鑲上金牙邊。
²⁶ 要做四個金環，安在桌子的四角上，就是桌子四腳的四角。
²⁷ 安環子的地方要挨近橫樑，可以穿槓抬桌子。
²⁸ 要用皂莢木做兩根槓，用金包裹，以便抬桌子。
²⁹ 要做桌子上的盤子、調羹，並奠酒的爵和瓶；這都要用精金做。
³⁰ 又要在桌子上，在我面前，常擺陳設餅。」
此處有：（1）吩咐用包金的木造一張桌子，要擺放在至聖所（那裏除了約櫃及其附屬物外別無他物），而要擺放在會幕的外部，稱為聖所（來九2、23等）。那裏也要有邊桌的常用器具：盤子、調羹等，都是金的（出二十五29）。（2）這桌子要常擺設齊全，備有陳設餅（出二十五30），即陳設餅（直譯為面之餅），十二個餅，每支派一個，擺成兩行，每行六個；見關乎它們的律法（利二十四5-10等）。會幕既是神的殿，他樂意說要住在他們中間，他要表明自己持家有道。在王宮中理當有一張御桌。有人認為十二個餅代表十二支派，作為他的百姓擺在神面前，稱為他禾場的穀（賽二十一10）。正如約櫃表明神與他們同在，照樣十二個餅表明他們被獻在神面前。這餅的設計是：（一）對神善待他們的感恩承認，賜他們日用的飲食，在曠野的嗎哪──他在那裏為他們擺設筵席，以及在迦南地的穀物。他們藉此承認自己倚靠護理，不但為田間的穀物（他們在獻初熟之禾捆時為此感恩），也為家中的餅；當糧食運回家時，神沒有吹噓它（該一9）。基督教我們日日為日用的餅祈求。（二）他們與神相交的記號。神桌上這餅既與他們自己桌上的餅同樣用穀物製成，神與以色列便如同一同坐席，作為友誼和團契的憑據；他與他們同席，他們也與他同席。（三）教會中藉基督福音為一切歸我們的神作祭司之人所預備的屬靈供應的預表。在我父的家裏，糧食有餘，每支派一個餅。凡在神殿中伺候的，都必因殿中的美善得以飽足（詩三十六8）。屬神的安慰是聖徒靈魂不住的筵席，雖然有些人以耶和華的桌子和其上的食物（因為不過是淡餅）為可藐視的（瑪一12）。基督在他的國裏有一張桌子，他一切聖徒將來要在其上與他一同坐席（路二十二30）。
³¹ 「要用精金做一個燈臺。燈臺的座和幹，與杯、球、花，都要接連一塊錘出來。
³² 燈臺兩旁要杈出六個枝子：這旁三個，那旁三個。
³³ 這旁每枝上有三個杯，形狀像杏花，有球，有花；那旁每枝上也有三個杯，形狀像杏花，有球，有花。從燈臺杈出來的六個枝子都是如此。
³⁴ 燈臺上有四個杯，形狀像杏花，有球，有花。
³⁵ 燈臺每兩個枝子以下有球，與枝子接連一塊；從燈臺杈出來的六個枝子都是如此。
³⁶ 球和枝子要接連一塊，都是一塊精金錘出來的。
³⁷ 要做燈臺的七個燈盞。祭司要點這燈，使燈光對照。
³⁸ 燈臺的蠟剪和蠟花盤也是要精金的。
³⁹ 做燈臺和這一切的器具，要用精金一他連得。
⁴⁰ 要謹慎做這些物件，都要照着在山上指示你的樣式。」
I. 為陳設神的宮殿，其次吩咐要做的是一個華貴莊嚴的燈臺，全是精金做的，不是空心的，而是實心的。此處關於它的具體指示表明：（1）它十分壯觀，是那地方的一大裝飾；它有許多枝子從主幹伸出，這些枝子不但有盛油和點燃燈芯的杯（為必需），還有球和花（為裝飾）。（2）它十分便利，設計巧妙，既能散布光線，又能保持會幕免受煙燻和燼灰的污染。（3）它很有意義。會幕沒有窗戶可以引進日光，它一切的光都是燭光，這暗示那時代的相對黑暗，那時公義的日頭尚未升起，晨星從高天也未探訪他的教會。然而神沒有不為自己作見證，也沒有讓他們缺乏教導；誡命是燈，律法是光，先知們是那燈發出的枝子，在各個時代為舊約教會發光。如今教會與會幕一樣，與天上的狀況相比仍然是黑暗的；但神的道是燈臺，在暗處發光（彼後一19），若沒有它，世界確實是黑暗之地。神的靈在他各樣的恩賜和恩典中，被比作在寶座前點着的七盞火燈（啟四5）。眾教會是金燈臺，是世上的光，將生命的道表明出來，正如燈臺托住光（腓二15、16）。傳道人要點燈，並修剪燈芯（出二十五37），就是解明聖經。這光的寶藏如今裝在瓦器裏（林後四6、7）。燈臺的枝子向各方伸展，表示藉着基督的職事將福音的光傳遍各方（太五14、15）。恩賜原有分別，但同一位聖靈賜給各人，叫人得益處。
II. 在這些指示之中，有一個明確的警戒給摩西，要他謹慎不可偏離樣式：要照着在山上指示你的樣式做（出二十五40）。沒有一樣留給他自己的發明、匠人的巧思或百姓的喜好；神的旨意必須在每一細節上敬虔遵守。這樣：（1）神一切的護理都完全照他的旨意而行，副本決不偏離原本。無限的智慧永不改變其措施；凡他所定的，必無疑成就。（2）他一切的典章必須照他的設立而施行。基督對門徒的吩咐（太二十八20）與此相似：凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守。
英文原文
The Tabernacle and Its Furniture (1491 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
² Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
³ And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
⁴ And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
⁵ And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
⁶ Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
⁷ Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
⁸ And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
⁹ According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
We may suppose that when Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and abode there so long, where the holy angels attended the shechinah, or divine Majesty, he saw and heard very glorious things relating to the upper world, but they were things which it was not lawful nor possible to utter; and therefore, in the records he kept of the transactions there, he says nothing to satisfy the curiosity of those who would intrude into the things which they have not seen, but writes that only which he was to speak to the children of Israel. For the scripture is designed to direct us in our duty, not to fill our heads with speculations, nor to please our fancies.
In these verses God tells Moses his intention in general, that the children of Israel should build him a sanctuary, for he designed to dwell among them (Ex 25:8); and some think that, though there were altars and groves used for religious worship before this, yet there never was any house, or temple, built for sacred uses in any nation before this tabernacle was erected by Moses, and that all the temples which were afterwards so much celebrated among the heathen took rise from this and pattern by it. God had chosen the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to himself (above all people), among whom divine revelation, and a religion according to it, should be lodged and established: he himself would be their King. As their King, he had already given them laws for the government of themselves, and their dealings one with another, with some general rules for religious worship, according to the light of reason and the law of nature, in the ten commandments and the following comments upon them. But this was not thought sufficient to distinguish them from other nations, or to answer to the extent of that covenant which God would make with them to be their God; and therefore,
I. He orders a royal palace to be set up among them for himself, here called a sanctuary, or holy place, or habitation, of which it is said (Jer 17:12), A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. This sanctuary is to be considered,
1. As ceremonial, consonant to the other institutions of that dispensation, which consisted in carnal ordinances (Heb 9:10); hence it is called a worldly sanctuary, Heb 9:1. God in it kept his court, as Israel's King. (1.) There he manifested his presence among them, and it was intended for a sign or token of his presence, that, while they had that in the midst of them, they might never again ask, Is the Lord among us or not? And, because in the wilderness they dwelt in tents, even this royal palace was ordered to be a tabernacle too, that it might move with them, and might be an instance of the condescension of the divine favour. (2.) There he ordered his subjects to attend him with their homage and tribute. Thither they must come to consult his oracles, thither they must bring their sacrifices, and there all Israel must meet, to pay their joint respects to the God of Israel.
2. As typical; the holy places made with hands were the figures of the true, Heb 9:24. The gospel church is the true tabernacle, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man, Heb 8:2. The body of Christ, in and by which he made atonement, was the greater and more perfect tabernacle, Heb 9:11. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, as in a tabernacle.
II. When Moses was to erect this palace, it was requisite that he should first be instructed where he must have the materials, and where he must have the model; for he could neither contrive it by his own ingenuity nor build it at his own charge; he is therefore directed here concerning both.
1. The people must furnish him with the materials, not by a tax imposed upon them, but by a voluntary contribution. This is the first thing concerning which orders are here given.
(1.) Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring me an offering; and there was all the reason in the world that they should, for (Ex 25:1), [1.] It was God himself that had not only enlarged them, but enriched them with the spoils of the Egyptians. He had instructed them to borrow, and he had inclined the Egyptians to lend, so that from him they had their wealth, and therefore it was fit they should devote it to him and use it for him, and thus make a grateful acknowledgement of the favours they had received. Note, First, The best use we can make of our worldly wealth is to honour God with it in works of piety and charity. Secondly, When we have been blessed with some remarkable success in our affairs, and have had, as we say, a good turn, it may be justly expected that we should do something more than ordinary for the glory of God, consecrating our gain, in some reasonable proportion of it, to the Lord of the whole earth, Mic 4:3. [2.] The sanctuary that was to be built was intended for their benefit and comfort, and therefore they must be at the expense of it. They had been unworthy of the privilege if they had grudged at the charge. They might well afford to offer liberally for the honour of God, while they lived at free quarters, having food for themselves and their families rained upon them daily from heaven. We also must own that we have our all from God's bounty, and therefore ought to use all for his glory. Since we live upon him, we must live to him.
(2.) This offering must be given willingly, and with the heart, that is, [1.] It was not prescribed to them what or how much they must give, but it was left to their generosity, that they might show their good-will to the house of God and the offices thereof, and might do it with a holy emulation, the zeal of a few provoking many, 2Co 9:2. We should ask, not only, "What must we do?" but, "What may we do for God?" [2.] Whatever they gave, they must give it cheerfully, not grudgingly and with reluctance, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7. What is laid out in the service of God we must reckon well bestowed.
(3.) The particulars are here mentioned which they must offer (Ex 25:3-7), all of them things that there would be occasion for in the tabernacle, or the service of it. Some observe that here was gold, silver, and brass, provided, but no iron; that is the military metal, and this was to be a house of peace. Every thing that was provided was very rich and fine, and the best of the sort; for God, who is the best, should have the best.
2. God himself would furnish him with the model: According to all that I show thee, Ex 25:9. God showed him an exact plan of it, in miniature, which he must conform to in all points. Thus Ezekiel saw in vision the form of the house and the fashion thereof, Eze 43:11. Note, Whatsoever is done in God's service must be done by his direction, and not otherwise. Yet God did not only show him the model, but gave him also particular directions how to frame the tabernacle according to that model, in all the parts of it, which he goes over distinctly in this and the following chapters. When Moses, in the beginning of Genesis, was to describe the creation of the world, though it is such a stately and curious fabric and made up of such a variety and vast number of particulars, yet he gave a very short and general account of it, and nothing compared with what the wisdom of this world would have desired and expected from one that wrote by divine revelation; but, when he comes to describe the tabernacle, he does it with the greatest niceness and accuracy imaginable. He that gave us no account of the lines and circles of the globe, the diameter of the earth, or the height and magnitude of the stars, has told us particularly the measure of every board and curtain of the tabernacle; for God's church and instituted religion are more precious to him and more considerable than all the rest of the world. And the scriptures were written, not to describe to us the works of nature, a general view of which is sufficient to lead us to the knowledge and service of the Creator, but to acquaint us with the methods of grace, and those things which are purely matters of divine revelation. The blessedness of the future state is more fully represented under the notion of a new Jerusalem than under the notion of new heavens and a new earth.
¹⁰ And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
¹¹ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
¹² And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
¹³ And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
¹⁴ And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
¹⁵ The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
¹⁶ And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
¹⁷ And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
¹⁸ And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
¹⁹ And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
²⁰ And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
²¹ And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
²² And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
The first thing which is here ordered to be made is the ark with its appurtenances, the furniture of the most holy place, and the special token of God's presence, for which the tabernacle was erected to be the receptacle.
I. The ark itself was a chest, or coffer, in which the two tables of the law, written with the finger of God, were to be honourably deposited, and carefully kept. The dimensions of it are exactly ordered; if the Jewish cubit was, as some learned men compute, three inches longer than our half-yard (twenty-one inches in all), this chest or cabinet was about fifty-two inches long, thirty-one broad, and thirty-one deep. It was overlaid within and without with thin plates of gold. It had a crown, or cornice, of gold, round it, with rings and staves to carry it with; and in it he must put the testimony, Ex 25:10-16. The tables of the law are called the testimony because God did in them testify his will: his giving them that law was in token of his favour to them; and their acceptance of it was in token of their subjection and obedience to him. This law was a testimony to them, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them if they transgressed. The ark is called the ark of the testimony (Ex 30:6), and the tabernacle the tabernacle of the testimony (Nu 10:11) or witness, Ac 7:44. The gospel of Christ is also called a testimony or witness, Mt 24:14. It is observable, 1. That the tables of the law were carefully preserved in the ark for the purpose, to teach us to make much of the word of God, and to hide it in our hearts, in our innermost thoughts, as the ark was placed in the holy of holies. It intimates likewise the care which divine Providence ever did, and ever will, take to preserve the records of divine revelation in the church, so that even in the latter days there shall be seen in his temple the ark of his testament. See Re 11:19. 2. That this ark was the chief token of God's presence, which teaches us that the first and great evidence and assurance of God's favour is the putting of his law in the heart. God dwells where that rules, Heb 8:10. 3. That provision was made for the carrying of this ark about with them in all their removals, which intimates to us that, wherever we go, we should take our religion along with us, always bearing about with us the love of the Lord Jesus, and his law.
II. The mercy-seat was the covering of the ark or chest, made of solid gold, exactly to fit the dimensions of the ark, Ex 25:17,21. This propitiatory covering, as it might well be translated, was a type of Christ, the great propitiation, whose satisfaction fully answers the demands of the law, covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse we deserve. Thus he is the end of the law for righteousness.
III. The cherubim of gold were fixed to the mercy-seat, and of a piece with it, and spread their wings over it, Ex 25:18. It is supposed that these cherubim were designed to represent the holy angels, who always attended the shechinah, or divine Majesty, particularly at the giving of the law; not by any effigies of an angel, but some emblem of the angelical nature, probably some one of those four faces spoken of, Eze 1:10. Whatever the faces were, they looked one towards another, and both downward towards the ark, while their wings were stretched out so as to touch one another. The apostle calls them cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat, Heb 9:5. It denotes their attendance upon the Redeemer, to whom they were ministering spirits, their readiness to do his will, their special presence in the assemblies of saints (Ps 68:17, 1Co 11:10), and their desire to look into the mysteries of the gospel which they diligently contemplate, 1Pe 1:12. God is said to dwell, or sit, between the cherubim, on the mercy-seat (Ps 80:1), and thence he here promises, for the future, to meet with Moses, and to commune with him, Ex 25:22. There he would give law, and there he would give audience, as a prince on his throne; and thus he manifests himself willing to be reconciled to us, and keep up communion with us, in and by the mediation of Christ. In allusion to this mercy-seat, we are said to come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16); for we are not under the law, which is covered, but under grace, which is displayed; its wings are stretched out, and we are invited to come under the shadow of them, Ru 2:12.
²³ Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
²⁴ And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
²⁵ And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
²⁶ And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
²⁷ Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
²⁸ And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
²⁹ And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
³⁰ And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway.
Here is, 1. A table ordered to be made of wood overlaid with gold, which was to stand, not in the holy of holies (nothing was in that but the ark with its appurtenances), but in the outer part of the tabernacle, called the sanctuary, or holy place, Heb 9:2,23, etc. There must also be the usual furniture of the sideboard, dishes and spoons, etc., and all of gold, Ex 25:29. 2. This table was to be always spread, and furnished with the show-bread (Ex 25:30), or bread of faces, twelve loaves, one for each tribe, set in two rows, six in a row; see the law concerning them, Le 24:5-10, etc. The tabernacle being God's house, in which he was pleased to say that he would dwell among them, he would show that he kept a good house. In the royal palace it was fit that there should be a royal table. Some make the twelve loaves to represent the twelve tribes, set before God as his people and the corn of his floor, as they are called, Isa 21:10. As the ark signified God's being present with them, so the twelve loaves signified their being presented to God. This bread was designed to be, (1.) A thankful acknowledgement of God's goodness to them, in giving them their daily bread, manna in the wilderness, where he prepared a table for them, and, in Canaan, the corn of the land. Hereby they owned their dependence upon Providence, not only for the corn in the field, which they gave thanks for in offering the sheaf of first-fruits, but for the bread in their houses, that, when it was brought home, God did not blow upon it, Hag 1:9. Christ has taught us to pray every day for the bread of the day. (2.) A token of their communion with God. This bread on God's table being made of the same corn with the bread on their own tables, God and Israel did, as it were, eat together, as a pledge of friendship and fellowship; he supped with them, and they with him. (3.) A type of the spiritual provision which is made in the church, by the gospel of Christ, for all that are made priests to our God. In our Father's house there is bread enough and to spare, a loaf for every tribe. All that attend in God's house shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of it, Ps 36:8. Divine consolations are the continual feast of holy souls, notwithstanding there are those to whom the table of the Lord, and the meat thereof (because it is plain bread), are contemptible, Mal 1:12. Christ has a table in his kingdom, at which all his saints shall for every eat and drink with him, Lu 22:30.
³¹ And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
³² And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
³³ Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
³⁴ And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
³⁵ And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
³⁶ Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
³⁷ And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
³⁸ And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
³⁹ Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
⁴⁰ And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount.
I. The next thing ordered to be made for the furnishing of God's palace was a rich stately candlestick, all of pure gold, not hollow, but solid. The particular directions here given concerning it show, 1. That it was very magnificent, and a great ornament to the place; it had many branches drawn from the main shaft, which had not only their bowls (to put the oil and the kindled wick in) for necessity, but knops and flowers for ornament. 2. That it was very convenient, and admirably contrived both to scatter the light and to keep the tabernacle clean from smoke and snuffs. 3. That it was very significant. The tabernacle had no windows by which to let in the light of the day, all its light was candle-light, which intimates the comparative darkness of that dispensation, while the Sun or righteousness had not as yet risen, nor had the day-star from on high yet visited his church. Yet God left not himself without witness, nor them without instruction; the commandment was a lamp, and the law a light, and the prophets were branches from that lamp, which gave light in their several ages to the Old-Testament church. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but the word of God is the candlestick, a light shining in a dark place (2Pe 1:19), and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. The Spirit of God, in his various gifts and graces, is compared to the seven lamps which burn before the throne, Re 4:5. The churches are golden candlesticks, the lights of the world, holding forth the word of life as the candlestick does the light, Php 2:15,16. Ministers are to light the lamps, and snuff them (Ex 25:37), by opening the scriptures. The treasure of this light is now put into earthen vessels, 2Co 4:6,7. The branches of the candlestick spread every way, to denote the diffusing of the light of the gospel into all parts by the Christian ministry, Mt 5:14,15. There is a diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit gives to each to profit withal.
II. There is in the midst of these instructions an express caution given to Moses, to take heed of varying from his model: Make them after the pattern shown thee, Ex 25:40. Nothing was left to his own invention, or the fancy of the workmen, or the people's humour; but the will of God must be religiously observed in every particular. Thus, 1. All God's providences are exactly according to his counsels, and the copy never varies from the original. Infinite Wisdom never changes its measures; whatever is purposed shall undoubtedly be performed. 2. All his ordinances must be administered according to his institutions. Christ's instruction to his disciples (Mt 28:20) is similar to this: Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
本章開始記述神在山上賜給摩西的命令與指示，為要建造並陳設一個會幕，以榮耀神。此處內容如下。一、為此目的吩咐在百姓中間收取奉獻，出 25:1-9。二、具體指示：1. 關乎約櫃，出 25:10-22。2. 陳設餅的桌子，出 25:23-30。3. 金燈臺，出 25:31-40 等。